The sound rang out, a shrill, thunderous cry that shook the dungeon like a war drum.
The chickens had had enough.
They were going to remind him exactly why they were called Bosses.
The leading chicken cried out in clear fury and struck—precisely—at the place where Leon was standing... or rather, had been standing.
Though Leon’s actions earlier had seemed reckless, his senses were razor-sharp. He was at alert. His body might look relaxed, but internally, every part of him was coiled like a spring. So, the moment the chicken shrieked in rage, Leon had already sensed danger and darted to the side with explosive agility.
Its massive beak crashed into the stone ground, cracking it like glass. Dust flared upward in a choking cloud—but its eyes... oh, its eyes never left Leon.
The same could be said for the other two.
’This mere insect escaped their strike!’ Even the thought of it was infuriating them. He was slippery—slippery like an eel soaked in oil. It was as if this entire situation had been crafted specifically for him.
The Crystal had also sensed that the chickens were about to attack, but before it could even warn him, Leon had already moved—he had already done what it intended to say.
’It seems all that reckless behavior was just a façade... even I was fooled,’ the Crystal muttered to itself. ’As expected of that physique.’
Leon smirked as he landed lightly on a nearby rock. Phase one: complete.
He had successfully angered them.
And now, their thinking ability would begin to degrade. Rage clouded judgment—it always did.
Which was... no phase at all.
He was going to keep pissing them off, force them to enter Berserk mode, and let them waste their stored Life Force. First, they’d use up the life force they harvested from their minions... and after that, they’d begin burning their own.
But the plan wasn’t perfect. And it assumed something he wasn’t even sure of yet:
Would they really fall for it?
After all, Boss Monsters weren’t supposed to be this dumb. They had control over their minions and territory for a reason.
It was then Leon’s eyes sharpened with realization.
’Wait... don’t tell me... these three only had LVL 1 chickens as their minions? Where are the LVL 2s, 3s, or 4s?’
He frowned hard, recalling the passive ability in their skillset: All chicken-type beasts with lower strength automatically become their subordinates.
’There’s no way they’ve only ever encountered LVL 1 chickens since becoming Bosses. These monsters—they’re hiding more minions!’ Leon shook his head bitterly.
It wasn’t that he feared the minions—no, he was sure he could handle dozens of those himself. But the Boss Monsters? Now that was a pain in the ass!
He stared deeper into their reddened eyes, trying to unravel their thoughts.
Why would they keep stronger minions away from him? Why restrict what he could fight?
The Crystal, observing all this silently, nodded inwardly in admiration. It had known this all along. But it wanted Leon to discover it himself. And he did.
’He deserves a reward.’
’And he’s ready for it too. The timing... couldn’t be more perfect.’
He needed a safe place.
Leon had been keeping a careful distance when suddenly, a voice rang in his mind with urgency:
’Run to the end of the open lands. Quick!’
The tone alone made Leon’s heart jolt.
He didn’t hesitate—not for a second.
Without looking back, he sprinted at full speed, pouring every ounce of strength and agility into his movement. His legs blurred beneath him. Rocks scattered. Air split.
He didn’t know what lay ahead, but one thing was clear—those chickens would be giving him hot pursuit. They might even trigger Berserk Mode just to catch him. He couldn’t afford to waste a millisecond.
’Even the Crystal is telling me to run...’ he thought grimly. ’Things must really be out of hand... Did I push it too far?’
He kept running, dodging obstacles until finally—he reached a plateau just a quarter kilometer from the edge of the looming forest.
The crystal’s voice came again, calmer this time.
’They won’t sense you anymore. This place is just... a rock, to them.’
’An illusion domain?’ Leon thought, blinking at his surroundings. ’Or maybe... a concealment field?’
His heart raced with awe. "This is insane... this is just the tip of the iceberg of what this Crystal can do."
He turned his head, slowly, breath held—
The three Boss Chickens.
Charging straight toward his direction like enraged demons.
His throat tightened.
’Did the illusion fail?’
He clenched his fists—ready to fight—
But then... they passed by.
Right through the area.
Only after their thunderous footsteps faded into silence did he allow himself to breathe.
His body relaxed just a bit. But not for long.
’There’s something you need to do,’ the Crystal said through their link, tone serious. ’It’ll multiply your attack power several folds.’
Leon’s eyes sharpened instantly. He straightened his back and focused.
This was his chance. This dungeon was only just beginning, and any power boost could mean life or death.
’Try to feel Mana in your body.’ The Crystal didn’t waste time.
Leon blinked. "Mana?"
’Not Qi. Mana. That’s the first thing you need to understand.’
’Wait... I thought... isn’t it supposed to be Qi that we use? What’s Mana got to do with this?’
’Compared to others... you’re different. You don’t use Qi—you use Mana. That’s why the Talent Stone didn’t show anything for you. It wasn’t made to detect Mana-type talents.’
Leon’s heart skipped.
His breathing paused.
’So... you’re saying I’m not a No-Talent?’
A grin cracked his lips.
’I’m... not talentless after all?’
’You’re not. You’re just... different. And yes, there are others who use Mana too. But...’
Leon’s excitement paused at the next words.
’None of them are in this world. As far as I know... you’re the only one here who does.’
His grin faltered slightly, but only slightly.
Even if he was alone now... he wasn’t broken. He wasn’t a mistake.
And different was powerful.